proposals for congress and a guide for state and local officials. just days after declaring a state of war with the south and threatening to launch nuclear strikes against the u.s., a new warning from pyongyang. just this morning north korea is vowing to fire up operations at its nuclear complex that were shut down in 2007 as part of an international peace deal. meanwhile, this propaganda video is reportedly airing on state tv showing north korean soldiers firing ak-47 rifles and pistols at targets of cartoonlike figures of u.s. soldiers. nbc's jim maceda is in seoul, south korea. jim, what's the latest on this? >> reporter: hello, richard. well, it seemed yesterday that the crisis had crested somewhat, but now with news of the reopening of the yongbyon nuclear plant, that has got to increase already high levels of tension here. when this relatively small plant, keep in mind, it was generating enough plutonium for one nuclear bomb per year, when it was shut down some six years

ago, it was seen, i recall, as a major victory for u.s. diplomacy. is now looks like, however, that leader kim jong-un who says he's angry about new sanctions slapped on the country and ongoing u.s./south korean war games not far from here, it looks like he is undoing any progress that has been made in the past. that said, experts are calling this opening of the plant more symbolic than anything else. much of the plant was destroyed and will need to be completely rebuilt. that could take years. still, they're taking no chances at the pentagon. they confirmed today that the u.s.-guided missile destroyer, the "uss mccain" has been rerouted from the pacific ocean and is heading in this region, in this direction. we do expect to see, now, if all goes has in the past, missile tests will be taking place in the very near future. back to you, richard. >> jim maceda in seoul, thank you so much for that. the investigation into who

killed a texas district attorney and his wife is now focusing on a white supremacist prison gang. this has put texas courthouses on high alert in case gang members try to attack them. a law enforcement bulletin last december warned gang members might try to attack police or prosecutors. kaufman county d.a. mike mclelland and his wife were found shot to death in their home over the weekend. officials are also looking for a connection to the county's assistant district attorney gunned down near the courthouse two months ago. at the time mclelland had this promise for the killer. >> we're very confident that we're going to find you, we're going to pull you out of whatever hole you're in, we'll bring you back and let the people of kaufman county prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. >> so far no motive or arrests have been reported in either of those cases. this morning there are chilling new details about the alleged killer of colorado corrections chief tom clements. court officials say that evan spencer ebel who allegedly shot

clements at his home in colorado last month was mistakenly released from prison four years early due to a paperwork error. ebel was later killed in a shootout by texas authorities. police are looking into the possibility of a link between the colorado and texas slayings. there's some good news for louisville kevin ware, the sophomore guard is already up on crutches after his tragic accident during sunday night's ncaa game versus duke. louisville coach rick pitino brought ware the game trophy when he visited monday morning where his mother said she's proud how brave her son has been throughout this ordeal. >> he's very positive. he's not so much focusing in on what happened but he's focusing on recovery. >> ware will have no medical bills related to the injury, and he'll join his teammates in atlanta saturday when they face wichita state in the final four. bill karins joins us right now. that is amazing how fast that happened. the steel rod in and now he's up. >> they say he may be in atlanta

for the final four possibly. >> that would be great. a lot of emotions. >> they're hoping he can be there with his team. we'll see. across the country winter weather has made its case from the northern half to the east of the country. and it won't go away. while the west has been relatively mild, these temperatures in the 50s once again. you're the lucky ones across the country. the northerly, winterly jet stream has yet to retreat north into canada, but signs are showing towards the middle of next week, we get a big pattern change. we'll get cooler and maybe snowier in portions of the rockies including colorado. warmer in the east. along the west coast, a couple chances of rain one thursday and one saturday. your forecast today does call for warm, mild air. enjoy it. the next two days look great. on thursday we'll have a chance of a little more wet weather in the west. but they're the ones that are enjoying all the warmth that we would just love. >> absolutely. great pictures. it's a retreat up to the north, though. >> yes, we'll send canada what they've given us all winter. >> exactly. >> return to sender. straight ahead for you, the prosecutor in the colorado

theater shootings says justice comes down to one thing, death for james holmes. plus, is barack obama about to give caroline kennedy a major ambassadorship? "early today" is back in two.

welcome back to "early today." prosecutors says james holmes deserves to die for shooting 12 people inside a movie theater. officials will seek the death penalty. the 21-year-old star of the mtv reality show "buckwild" has died. shane gandee was found along a dirt road in kentucky along with the body of his uncle and a third man. the reality star and his uncle were reported missing on sunday. michael jackson is the subject of another lawsuit this time a civil suit brought by his mother against concert giant aeg live. the trial will examine if the company was criminally negligent in the hiring of his personal

physician, dr. conrad murray. murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in 2011. >> caroline kennedy will soon follow in the foot steps of her grandfather. nbc news confirming she will soon be tapped to be the next u.s. ambassador to japan. new jersey governor chris christie has signed a bill banning children under 17 using tanning beds. that move comes after the now-notorious case of the so-called tan mom who allegedly brought her 5-year-old daughter into a tanning booth. the white house got in on an april fools' joke after what was called a special message from the president. turned out to be a small message. 9-year-old robbie novak known online as kid president returned to make an appearance in the briefing room. in health news for you now, including fish in your diet could lead to a long, healthy life. harvard researchers studied levels of omega 3 fatty acids in the blood of nearly 3,000 older adults and found those with the highest omega 3 levels had a 27% lower risk of death overall. and 35% lower risk of death from

heart disease. people who wasn't from zero fish intake to two to three servings per week saw the biggest benefit. "early today" health is brought to you by vagisil. bring yourself back. stocks edged down side as cyprus remains steady for now. a federal appeals court says internet company aereo can provide feeds to computers, iphones and ipads despite objections from broadcasters. including nbc. the average salary for america's most common job for a retail salesperson is just $25,310. the largest city to file for bankruptcy. stockton, california gets to that dubious distinction. the question now, who gets paid first? retirement funds or creditors? today we'll find out how many cars you bought in the month of march. edmonds predicts a 24% rise from february with 1.5 million new vehicles sold last month. as the weather warms up,

drivers are getting a break at the pump to the tune of 30 cents cheaper than a year ago. we'll take that. apple chief executive tim cook has apologized to consumers in china. the mea culpa apparently was sparked over the company's iphone warranty policies. and by pressure from state-run media outlets. the u.s. department of homeland security could be facing an onslaught of requests for high-tech worker visas in the coming days. if demand here outstrips supply, then a lottery system will be implemented leaving high-tech companies to deal with the frenzy for permit. plucked from be on security during a march madness cinderella run. florida gulf coast head basketball coach lands a very big job. and two people are lucky to be alive after surviving this incredible car wreck. details when "early today" returns.

now to some other stories that caught our eye this morning for you. in georgia a high-speed crash ripped a car apart, nearly killing the two people inside. the out-of-control vehicle ran into a wall causing the driver and passenger to be ejected and catapulting the back half into a passing car. the driver of the severed car is in critical condition, while his passenger and the other driver are listed in stable condition. next to a powerful louisiana storm, high winds and heavy rains swept through towns in the southwest leaving several downed trees and property damage in its wake. no injuries or deaths were reported. then to new york.

a restaurant had the scoop on an unusual april fools' day tradition, pulled pork ice cream is the latest bizarre flavor created by the eatery. customers described the blend as salty and baconlike. past april fools' day flavors include grilled cheese and sauerkraut. and finally, remember the california easter bunny that highway police pulled over? well, he's become an internet sensation. overjoyed, he was able to lift some spirits during the holiday. >> we have a lot of bad stuff going on. this is stuff people can point to and get a good after at, so mission accomplished. the coach of the ncaa cinderella team is leaving. he got his 15 seed team to the sweet 16. that's the first time ever it's been done before. they lost but the coach now has a new job at the university of southern california. he and his supermodel wife amanda will be heading west with their three kids. it's reported that usc will pay him 1.5 million bucks. women's college basketball

number two seed california rallied in the second half and forced o.t. and then edged out four seed georgia, 65-62, giving the golden bears their first trip to the final four. number one seed connecticut roded two seed kentucky. the huskies advance to final four on sunday for at that record six straight times. now baseball, dodgers pitcher clayton kershaw hit his first career home run against san francisco. and the former cy young winner also pitched a 4-0 shutout. the 2012 rookie the year bryce harper of the washington nationals hit home runs in his first two at-bats against miami. and the nats beat the marlins, 2-0 there. before the nationals game, opening-day ceremonies included a giant flag in the outfield and a special sandy hook tribute. moments of silence were also held in other major league ballparks for those affected by the shootings in newtown, connecticut. in moscow, students showed off their riding tricks. their secret?

specially bred horses trained to run at 25 miles per hour. boy, that just hurts the back had you see them do that. tom hanks brings down the house. heidi klum comes to the rescue and a hugely embarrassing moment for the dancing judd. you're watching "early today." joo

welcome back to "early today." leave the umbrella behind, grab the sunglasses in cases. temperatures in the 70s in many

cases. vegas at 84. phoenix at 91. then as we go into wednesday, much more of the same. the changes come three days from now. that's when a lot of people will break the umbrella back out from san francisco northward. a weak storm comes through providing light rain for many. that's three days from now. enjoy it until then. >> snow in some of the hills? what do you think? >> i don't know, too warm. >> i'm always thinking of springtime skiing, that's why. now is your chance to own pieces of hollywood history. over 800 iconic hollywood props and costumes are hitting the auction block later this week. even marilyn monroe's bra from "some like it hot" is up for bidding at $88,000. "dancing with the stars" had a bit of an awkward moment when len goodman criticized win oyno judd's dancing skills. >> you're like mt. rushmore, you look magnificent, but you don't

move. there's no hip action. i don't want to be nasty to anyone. i know how hard this is -- >> no, you don't. >> all right. bruno. >> yeah, he really said that. the stars came out for tom hanks's broadway debut in nora ephron's lucky guy. those in attendance included regis, spike lee, larry david, barbara walters, martin short and even mayor bloomberg. he did not get a soda at the concession stand, we hear. heidi klum saved her nanny and two sons. >> she's every woman. >> she is. and finally jay leno and jimmy fallon decided to sing away those awkward "tonight show" rumors. ♪ tonight tonight >> that's what you have to do sometimes. you have to laugh at yourself, right? >> they had to. there's so much tension around that. the fact that they can actually make fun of themselves is always

fun. they weren't singing good, maybe. fallon has the better voice. >> we have seen him with justin timberlake. jay holds his own. >> yeah. it was fun to laugh at that. this from greenwich, connecticut, where an already famous newcomer has finally been named. sandy hope is the new title for a baby giraffe born last week at the conservation center in southwest connecticut. the zoo's directors say the name is significant to the area because of december's sandy hook tragedy in nearby newtown. sandy hope won out nearly 7,000 online entries for the already 6 foot tall calf. >> how perfect of a name, right? >> and a very cute animal, on top of that. a little baby giraffe. >> looks kind of small, but he's 6 feet tall already? compared to mommy and daddy. i'm richard lui, and this is "early today" first your first stop of today on your nbc station.

leading the headlines this morning on nbcnews.com connecticut lawmakers reach deal on most comprehensive gun limits in u.s. the bill includes a ban on large capacity ammunition magazines like those that adam lanza used

to fire 154 shots in 4 minutes at sandy hook elementary school. in the "new york times" air pollution linked to 1.2 million premature deaths in china. air pollution is the fourth leading cause of death in china. the holy festival in india had its grand finale this weekend, plumes of colored powder shot into the air as thousands gathered in the streets to get covered head to toe. the rain dough procession. its festive celebration means singing, dancing and making a real mess of the streets. looks great. a group of unusual protesters in russia offered their two cents on healthy eating. this gang is hoping to stamp out fatty foods. mushing up fast food under the heel of their boot. the colorful protesters showed these burgers who is boss. yeah, i don't know if i want to eat that. companies every where were out for april fools' andhey probably caught a few stories too good to be true.

google offered a few new features. everything from a new treasure mode on google maps to the new search by smell function from google nose. a litany of fake products flooded sites including sony's new tech for pets and bmw's luxury stroller in two or four-wheel drive. hopefully you weren't fooled. if you were, don't worry you were not alone. i know some folks that would buy that. >> they would. it's not practical. you couldn't fold it up or actually use it, but just to have it. >> oh, it looks cool. >> keeping up with the joneses. >> and we love gadgets. you know people are lining up for that puppy. and, finally, here's a look at what's coming up later this morning on the "today" show. hillary clinton on the international women leaders. she will speak at tonight's vital voices global leadership awards at the kennedy center in washington, d.c. a special report on women is being released by i-village as well.

how healthy are women in america? will report on official statistic from 50 states. happy birthday to a 12 time grammy winner. for "in my dreams" and other songs. country singer emmylou harris turns 65 today. and tonight, be sure to watch "nbc nightly news" with brian williams. how serious is the u.s. government preparing for a possible war there. and sam neill and laura dern are live to talk about "jurassic park's" return to the big screen in 3d 20 years later. i'm richard lui. thanks for watching "early today." just your first stop of the day today on your nbc

new this morning, america making moves overnight to help keep the peace on the korean n

peninsula a south bay family devastated after a fire rips right through their apartment. we are now learning about the man who police say slammed his car into a south bay walmart and then began attack customers. a live look outside. that is your beautiful bay bridge in the early morning dawn on this tuesday, april 2nd. this is "today in the bay." the week is finally under way. welcome back. i'm jon kelley. >> i'm laura garcia cannon. tlots get to early this morning. let's first check the forecast with meteorologist, christina loren. good morning. it is going to be a nice day today. we have the showers come through yesterday. we are going to get a nice break and a brief warmup. it is chilly out there in places like santa rosa. 43 degrees there. 46 in napa.

we are expecting fog and drizzle to play a role in your morning commute. keep that in mind if you are waking up with us in the inner bay area or the immediate coast. keeping tabs on your fog and visibility readings all morning long. speaking of that drive, let's check on that. mikes ha the d mike has the day o. anthony slaughter is in the house. no major concerns right now. there is an accident that's been cleared, a significant alert from earlier this morning, about an hour ago but still clear in the lanes u can see this on highway 4 approaching antioch. either way, you can see willow pass, not seeing any slowdowns. that's the good news as the morning rolls along. let's hope to have a better day than yesterday. plenty of accidents. a very fatal day on our highways in the morning and evening. we'll track your morning traffic